Display and self-service cabinet



Dec. 27, @949 J. AqwomAcK DISPLAY AND SELF-SERVICE CABINET 2 Shts-Sheet1 Filed April 21, 1947 W 1K Wu m 0 W A d Dec. 27, 1949 Filed April 21,1947 J. A. WOMACK DISPLAY AND SELF-SERVICE CABINET 2 Sheets-Sheet 2Patented Dec. 27, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT o F-icE DISPLAY ANDSELF-SERVICE CABINET James A. Womack, Atlanta, Ga.

Application April 21, 1947, Serial No. 742,847

Claims.

My invention relates to a display case or cabinet, more particularly forthreads on spools, packed in boxes, which are placed on forwardlyinclined shelves in said case, in such a manner, I

that the spools will roll forward against a front glass, so that thecustomer can see, not only the goods itself, but be given information asto size, color and price through said glass and pick out what he wants.Thus, as soon as one spool has been removed, the one next behind willroll forward to take its place right in front of the plate glass window.

The spools are deposited in cardboard boxes holding about a dozen spoolsin pairs, and the end walls of each box are labeled, giving size,number, color and price. Before placing a box on a slanting shelf, thefront end corners are cut through and the labeled wall bent down to actas a flap behind the glass window, while a triangular portion of theside walls is cut away or bent back in order to insert a finger to gripthe spool, for removing it.

In the drawings one embodiment of the invention is illustrated and likenumerals denote the same details in the different views.

Figure 1 is a view of the case or cabinet in vertical section;

Figure 2 is a front elevation of a portion of Figure 1 with shelves andspool boxes in position;

Figure 3 is a perspective view of one cardboard box filled with spoolsand opened ready for installment on a shelf of the cabinet;

Figure 4 is a perspective view of a separator for the boxes; and

Figure 5 a fragmentary vertical section of a modified form of a cabinetwith horizontal shelves intended for holding other articles packed inboxes such as chewing gum, cigarettes, soaps, tooth paste, razor bladesand others.

This cabinet, made of wood, metal or plastic material, has a fiatupright rear wall I I, two upright side walls l2 narrowing upwardly anda top [3 firmly connecting the three walls. Near the bottom at front aboard or threshold [4 connects the two side walls l2 firmly.

Between the top l3 and the bottom board I4 is provided a series ofshelves l5, rigidly secured to the side and rear walls I I, I2 andterminating at equal distances from the front edge [6 of the side wallsl2. the articles on display, the shelves are spaced one above the otherand all inclined at the same angle, about 15 to 20 against thehorizontal plane in order to assure the round or cylindrical articles toroll forward towards the front edge of a shelf IS.

A short distance behind the front edge ll of each shelf I5 is provided aT-shaped groove l8 running parallel to said edge. This groove isintended to accommodate spring clips or separa- Depending on thebulkiness of 2 tors 19 between the cardboard boxes as well as at thesides of the boxes on the shelves in order to properly position theboxes.

In front of the edge ll of each shelf 15 is placed a window 20 in theshape of a long, narrow strip of heavy plate glass reaching from endtoend of each shelf.

This window 20 is supported at its ends by a channel-shaped bracket 25closed at its lower end 22 to provide a seat for the window 20 whenslipped down between its flanges. This channel bracket 2| may be made ofmetal or plasticand held in place on the side walls [2 by lugs or-screws23 or the like, which fit in corresponding round holes in said walls.

In Figure 1, the glasswindow 2B is high enough to provide a stop againstthe foremostspool 24 on a shelf, and is positioned far enough in frontof the shelf IE: to provide a narrow space 26' to accommodate the labelflap 28 on a box 21.

Such a cardboard box 2'! is seen in Figure- 3 containing two. dozenspools placed, end to end in tworows which may be separated bya middlepartition. 29. Theseboxes are filled as shipped by the manufacturer andwhen opened are to be cut back slantingly from the front bottom cornersas at 30 for two specific reasons, the first being to free the frontwall 28 of the box 21 and bend it down as a flap for insertion into thespace 26 formed between the shelf edge 21 and the plate glass window 20.In this manner it will be possible for a customer to identify the goodsneeded by reading the label printed on flap 28 which is visible throughthe window 20.

The modification in Figure 5 shows a cabinet with level shelves IS theglass window 20 of which is no higher than the top line of the shelves,so that the outermost of the stored articles 24a is completely exposed.As stated, articles other than thread spools in boxes are intended to becarried on three horizontal shelves. This modified cabinet is in allother respects similar in construction to that with the inclined shelvesshown in Figure 1.

The separators [9 are made of spring steel or other metal in the form ofan inverted V. The free ends of the shanks are bent outwardly as at 33to provide serrated edges in order to insure a firm hold of theseparators in the T-groove l8.

This case and box is designed for displaying and selling of merchandisefrom cardboard boxes as packed by the manufacturers without remov ingthe contents from the packing boxes. This case can be made with anynumber of shelves in height and any length. The slanting shelf case canbe used for thread, mints, ribbons or any item made round or packed in around box. The level shelf case can be used for most any item such aschewing gum, cigarettes, soaps, tooth paste, razor blades, etc. Themerchandise is never removed from the cardboard packing boxes. All boxesare labeled on the inside on two sides or two ends giving themanufacturers name, contents, size, color, price, etc. Cases can be madeof wood, plastic or metal.

It is to be understood that the invention as herein disclosed may bevaried from the details described and shown without departure from thespirit of the subjoined claims.

I claim:

1. The combination in a display and selfservice cabinet, of a shelfsupported between cabinet side walls, a transparent panel disposedacross the width of the shelf between said side walls and in spacedrelation with the front edge of the shelf, and-'a receptacle forcontaining articles for display, on the shelf and having an end walldisposed downwardly and inserted between the transparent panel and thesaid front edge of the shelf.

2. The combination as set forth in claim 1, wherein said panel projectsslightly above the surface of the shelf and functions as a stop in frontof the receptacle to maintain the receptacle in position, the downwarddisposition of the receptacle front wall providing an open forward endfor the receptacle, the projecting edge of the panel further acting as acheck to the advancement of articles through the open front end of .thereceptacle.

3. In combination, a cabinet having spaced, vertical side walls, a shelfdisposed between said side walls, a transparent panel extendingtransverselybetween the side walls in spaced relation with the frontedge of the shelf, a merchandise containing receptacle disposed upon theshelf with an end adjacent to the said front edge, the wall of thereceptacle at said end being disposed downwardly and positioned betweenthe front edge of the shelf and the transparent panel wherebyinformative markings upon the inner 4 side of said wall are displayedthrough the panel.

4. The combination as set forth in claim 3, wherein said shelf slopesdownwardly and forwardly and the said transparent panel projects at itstop edge above the top of the shelf and functions as a stop to limitadvancement of articles in the receptacle through the forward end of thereceptacle.

5. A display cabinet designed to receive cartons of material, comprisingspaced side walls, a shelf supported between said side walls, atransparent panel extending across the width of the shelf between saidside walls, the front edge face of the shelf and the back face of thetransparent panel being in spaced parallel relation to receive betweenthem an end wall of a carton supported upon the shelf wherebyinformative material on the surface of the end wall will be displayedthrough the panel.

JAMES A. WOMACK.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date Re. 5,526 Steward Aug. 5, 1873107,753 Belding Sept. 27, 1870 935,560 Stone Sept. 28, 1909 1,046,488Pauley Dec. 10, 1912 1,594,754 Reines Aug. 3, 1926 1,702,987 Wilson Feb.19, 1929 1,911,467 Rosenblatt May 30, 1933 2,049,279 Vosburgh July 28,1936 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 447,914 France Nov. 11, 1912557,862 Germany Aug. 29, 1932

